A Passport, a Plane Ticket, and a Leap of Faith for the International Mendeleev Chemistry Olympiad in Russia | Tanitakoh Daniella

One week before the program, I received an acceptance letter I never imagined would bear my name.

The whole process, from application to my getting on a plane, was a blur; I am still processing.

I learned about the opportunity through Nzifac Miriam, an Open Dreams pre-scholar, who shared it in our pre-scholar group and on her status. Her teacher was looking for someone to represent them in a one-week competition in Russia. There was just one requirement: you needed to have a passport. Fortunately, I already had one — and that made all the difference.

The information was scarce at first, and honestly, I wondered if it was even real — because we live in a world where people will take advantage of those who are vulnerable, and I had learned to be careful.

Then the acceptance letter arrived — and it confirmed everything: A fully funded trip, accommodation, and transportation within Russia, all covered. All I had to do was show up.

The letter found me in the middle of a hackathon. One week. That was all I had — one week to gather every required document, get my visa approved, and sort a flight to Russia.

The Russian Embassy is in Yaoundé and opens only twice a week — Tuesdays and Thursdays. The next day was the pitching day — the most important day of the hackathon. And it was the exact day I had to travel. I left halfway, with the organizers pushing back because they didn't want me to go. I packed up anyway. I took a bus to Yaoundé, tense the entire ride, not knowing if any of this would work out in time. I showed up on Wednesday for information about the Visa application and returned on Thursday to complete the process.

I arrived. I did everything that needed to be done. And what I genuinely thought was impossible came together in seven days.

I was scared. Of course I was. But I've come to understand that I was only afraid because I wasn't used to the fact that opportunities could come that way. And I've also come to understand something else: there are people out there actively looking for people to give opportunities to. The problem is — most people are either not prepared, or the prepared ones are not in the right spaces.

I was prepared. I was in the right space. So, I said yes.

It wasn't real to me until I arrived at the airport in Russia. The moment I walked through the gates, I saw them — holding a placard that read: "Welcome Teams."

I stopped.

This is actually happening. I'm in Russia. And I'm attending the International Mendeleev Chemistry Olympiad, representing Cameroon for the first time.

I was going to compete alongside students from 36 different countries — different religions, races, languages, cultures, and curricula. The thought seemed overwhelming at first.

Yet, less than 48 hours after arriving in Russia, I already found myself blending in naturally.

A roommate from Sri Lanka. An Ethiopian student beside me in the exam hall. An excursion group shared with French-speaking countries like Lebanon, Chad, and others. Meals next to someone from China. Card games with students from Uganda, Kenya, and Botswana. A game team with people from Russia, Belarus, Israel, and others. A conversation in an elevator with a Brazilian. Dancing on a boat with people from across the world.

The list could go on. All of these are memories I will never forget. I learned from people, and people learned from me.

The exam consisted of two theory papers and one practical — and it was challenging in ways I didn't expect. It pushed me well beyond what I was used to in the Cameroonian curriculum. But that challenge carried a message: there is so much more to explore beyond what we are taught at home.

I learned that science is not just about knowledge — it is about perspective. Watching students from different educational systems approach the same problems differently opened my eyes to how much our thinking is shaped by where we come from. It challenged me to look beyond what I know and question what I haven't yet discovered.

And beyond the exam, I learned that connection is its own kind of education. Within days, I was navigating conversations across language barriers, sharing meals with people whose lives looked nothing like mine, and realizing that curiosity is truly a universal language.

This is a challenge — to myself and to every young science student out there: do not sit comfortably where you are. Look deeper. Explore further. There is so much more waiting beyond the walls of our local curriculum.

Opportunity is real. But it requires preparation, and it requires presence — being in the right spaces, staying open, and being ready to say yes even when you are scared.

I went to compete. But I left with something more valuable — connections that can open doors to opportunities I haven't even imagined yet. And I am only just getting started.

• Tanitakoh Daniella | Open Dreams Douala Hub, Cameroon.